US envoy says cooperation with Turkey to continue during Obama admin

The senior U.S. envoy in Turkey said on Wednesday that his country's cooperation with Turkey would continue.

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18 Şubat 2009 Çarşamba 15:02

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey said that Turkish-U.S. cooperation would definitely continue during Barack Obama's administration.

Obama had telephone conversations with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jeffrey said during a breakfast hosted in his honor by Turkish-American Businessmen's Association in Ankara.

Jeffrey underlined importance of cooperation particularly during the economic crisis, and said the unemployment rate was up and production was down in Turkey.

Cooperation was obligatory to end the negative course in economy, he also said.

Jeffrey said that Turkey was very attractive for foreign investors, and underscored importance of cooperation in energy.

The ambassador said that transportation of energy resources through Turkey would contribute to not only Turkey but also the entire region.

Also talking about Turkey's European Union (EU) membership bid, Jeffrey reaffirmed his country's support and said that reforms on the road to EU would be beneficial for Turkey.

The ambassador said that the United States was "proud" to be Turkey's partner.

Ambassador James Jeffrey was nominated to be Ambassador to Turkey by former U.S. President George Bush in June 2008. He was confirmed by the Senate in October 2008.

Jeffrey had served as the assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser; principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State; senior advisor to the Secretary of State for Iraq; the U.S. charge d'affairs to Iraq; deputy chief of mission in Baghdad; ambassador to Albania.

Other assignments have included three tours in Turkey, including deputy chief of mission from 1999-2002, as well as deputy chief of mission in Kuwait and deputy special representative for Bosnian Implementation.

Ambassador Jeffrey received his bachelor's degree from Northeastern University and his master's degree from Boston University. He served in the US. Army in Germany and Vietnam from 1969 to 1976.